A New Recipe for 9 Bars

[John Harris]

I am working on a new recipe for 9 bars based on my 40 bar recipe. Below is what I have come up with, but I need to get rid of 330 grams. I can't decide where to cut.

I have the lard at 454 grams because that is the size it comes in from the supermarket and I didn't want to deal with any leftover.

I'm looking especially at the coconut oil and the olive and canola for cutting. DeeAnna suggested to me that the coconut might be a little high. Or should I just cut the lard?

Can I impose on you for some suggestions?

_____________%______Grams
1 Olive Oil ____ 14.18 ____ 200.00
2 Canola Oil ___ 14.18 ____ 200.00
3 Palm Oil ____ 5.46 _____ 77.00
4 Coconut Oil __ 21.70 ___ 306.00
5 Shea Butter __ 4.40 _____ 62.00
6 Beeswax ____ 1.77 ______ 25.00
7 Lard ______ 32.20 _____ 454.00
8 Castor Oil ___ 6.10 ______ 86.00

I will be superfatting at 5%.

 

[Dawni]

I am working on a new recipe for 9 bars based on my 40 bar recipe. Below is what I have come up with, but I need to get rid of 330 grams. I can't decide where to cut.

I have the lard at 454 grams because that is the size it comes in from the supermarket and I didn't want to deal with any leftover.

I'm looking especially at the coconut oil and the olive and canola for cutting. DeeAnna suggested to me that the coconut might be a little high. Or should I just cut the lard?

Can I impose on you for some suggestions?

_____________%______Grams
1 Olive Oil ____ 14.18 ____ 200.00
2 Canola Oil ___ 14.18 ____ 200.00
3 Palm Oil ____ 5.46 _____ 77.00
4 Coconut Oil __ 21.70 ___ 306.00
5 Shea Butter __ 4.40 _____ 62.00
6 Beeswax ____ 1.77 ______ 25.00
7 Lard ______ 32.20 _____ 454.00
8 Castor Oil ___ 6.10 ______ 86.00

I will be superfatting at 5%.

Hmmm.. I'd completely cut the canola, since I already have other conditioning and/or soft oils.

I'd also completely cut palm but only because I'm used to recipes without it haha. Lard at 32% with shea, without or without the beeswax should be a hard enough soap.

Lastly, I'm one who rarely uses coconut oil in the 20s. I'm usually in the 15-18% range.

Is that enough to cut? Hehehe if not you will probably need to deal with leftover lard, unless you cut out olive oil as well.

 

[Primrose]

I'm confused
Why don't you just use a soap calculator to reduce the batch size from what fits in your 40 bar mould to what will fit in your 9 bar mould?

 

[dixiedragon]

Ditch the canola, shea butter and palm.

 

[Dawni]

I'm confused
Why don't you just use a soap calculator to reduce the batch size from what fits in your 40 bar mould to what will fit in your 9 bar mould?

Now why didn't I think about that haha

 

[dixiedragon]

"I have the lard at 454 grams because that is the size it comes in from the supermarket and I didn't want to deal with any leftover."

That's why he doesn't just resize.

I get it - I've started slowly resizing recipes to fit the number of labels on a page. My lip balm label is 24 per page. So I'm making 24 or 48 tube batches, vs 50 or 60.

 

[dixiedragon]

According to Nurture soap, 9 bars is 31.5 oz of oils. 31 oz = 878 grams. It's a touch off - 448 grams of lard instead of 454. That's not enough to make a difference - just scoop in the whole container.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

According to Nurture soap, 9 bars is 31.5 oz of oils

I use 31 ounces and get 8 full bars but wouldn't it matter what size mold you are using? I use the silicone molds from Nurture and the size they are I only get 8 full bars--but if I made a solid colored bar I could probably get close to 9 bars with no end pieces but with swirling ya just about need to take an end piece

 

[dixiedragon]

Yes, the mold size would matter. I used this to show John Harris the process I was using, and I figure he could tweak the process to his preference.

I think it also depends on your cutter. We may be talking about the same sized mold but if my bars are 1" wide and yours are 1 and 1/8" wide, then I'd get 9 and you'd get 8 from the same mold.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

my bars are 1" wide and yours are 1 and 1/8" wide, then I'd get 9 and you'd get 8 from the same mold.

true but mine are exactly 1" and I use a wire cutter too--I would think we are talking about the same mold. I "glued" 2 end pieces together the other day and just went and measured the bar and it is 1" so without cutting ends I would get 9 1" bars
sorry--I understand you were just showing John and I am not trying to be snarky at all, just commenting on what I am seeing on my end. I think it would be nice if the mold itself was even just 1/8" bigger--there would be less waste

 

[dixiedragon]

No problem! This is the mold I'm using:
https://nurturesoap.com/collections/soap-molds/products/7-5-pound-triple-premium-mold

The description:
Each cavity of our 7.5 pound triple premium soap mold holds 31.5 ounces (1.96 pounds) of oils maximum. Each cavity will hold approximately 2.5 pounds of finished soap for a total of approximately 7.5 pounds of soap weight when all three cavities are used. This mold will make 27 1" bars of soap. (It has 3 cavities, so 9 bars per cavity.)

Measurements of liner:
ID of Liner 9" L x 3.5" W x 2.5" H

If I read what you said right, you basically have .5" of waste on each side? I assume your cutter doesn't allow you to move your log to get 9 bars vs 8?

Or is that .5 on each size something you are trimming off b/c of mushed corners? If that's the case, try soaping with vinegar. I am so pleased with how sharp the corners of my soap in silicone molds turn out thanks to vinegar.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

Or is that .5 on each size something you are trimming off b/c of mushed corners?

no not mushed corners--I guess I have been trimming the ends off cuz they don't look as nice as the cut bar (they are kind of muted looking)---my swirls aren't very nice on the ends. so I must be doing something wrong

 

[dixiedragon]

Try using a silicone spatula to smush some of the colored soap against the end of the log. I'm giving mine as gifts vs selling, so people better be happy to get whatever I give them!

Usually I mix up "good bars" - good corners, good swirl, good top - with "bad bars" - mishappen, blah color.